188. Commercial men have emphasised to us the importance of the
Crop forecasts prompt issue of accurate crop forecasts. It
would appear that these are not at present
altogether satisfactory, especially those relating to the jute crop, which
presents peculiar difficulties, chiefly owing to the fact that the bulk c»f
the crop is grown in areas under the Permanent Settlement where no
village records are maintained. The preparation of forecasts is a highly
technical business which ought to be entrusted, as soon as possible, to
the officers of the Agricultural Department, and their value must largely
depend upon the amount of time which Directors of Agriculture and their
staff can devote to the subject. As we have had occasion to remark
elsewhere, this service is very much undermanned, and the accuracy
of these returns may be expected to improve with the development of
the department. We do not approve of the present practice whereby
the Director of Statistics, as compiling officer, has to undertake the
responsibility of amending the forecasts of provincial officers. Such a
duty, we consider, would be more appropriately performed by some
responsible officer with general experience of Indian agricultural con-
ditions.
189. We think that in order to complete the organisation necessary to'
. provide the people of India with information
siine? in'IwdonT18" ^ regard to industrial and commercial matters,
the recent appointment in London of an officer
of the Indian Government as Trade Commissioner was a very necessary
step. He will represent Indian trade interests, and his principal function
will be to stimulate the development of the Indian export trade, by
directing attention to fresh markets and by promoting the establishment
of new commercial relations likely to be beneficial to India. He should
also assist the imperial and provincial Departments of Industries by
answering definite enquiries.
An experienced officer, who exercised the functions of Indian Trade
Commissioner in London for a few months during the winter of 1914-15,
under by no means favourable conditions, stated before us that the
appointment was greatly appreciated, that produce brokers in London
and manufacturers in the country freely applied to him for information
and advice, and that these references led in many cases to actual business.
There cannot, therefore, be any doubt that, if this appointment form part,,
as we contemplate that it should, of an organised scheme for the promo-
tion of industries and commerce in India, it will prove to be one of grow-
ing importance. The office of the Indian Trade Commissioner should
be in the City of London, so as to be as close as possible to the business
houses with which he will chiefly have to deal. Manufacturing and
commercial firms in India usually find it necessary to have London
correspondents, and there is no doubt that Directors of Industries will
find their work greatly facilitated by the presence of an officer in London
to whom they can refer whenever necessary. 'Hitherto such enquiries
have had to be addressed either to the Commercial Intelligence Branch
of the Board of Trade or to the Imperial Institute, and although